Side window visors are sometimes referred to as vent visors and wind deflectors. Side window visors have been used to decrease the amount of wind noise that results from opening a side window while the vehicle is in motion, shade portions of the interior of the vehicle from the sun, and prevent precipitation from entering a partially opened window. Side window visors can be helpful in expunging undesirable odors, such as cigarette smoke, from the interior of the vehicle; reducing window fogging; and maintaining a relatively cool interior even when the vehicle's cooling system are turned off, such as when the vehicle is parked and the engine is not running.
Another advantage of a side window visor is that it may decrease the noise level created by the wind while driving a motor vehicle with the windows slightly open. The side window visor allows fresh air to be circulated within the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle while providing shielding from rain.
Side window visors are commonly fastened to the exterior of a vehicle doorframe via mechanical fasteners such as clips, bolts, screws, and the like. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,633 to Lingg; U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,645 to Schenk et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,682,126 to Kanie. Alternative side window visors are available that can be attached to vehicles without the need of mechanical hardware such as clips, screws and bolts. Two types of side window visors are commonly known, an in-channel side window visor and an external side window visor. The in-channel side window visor can be mounted using adhesive inside a window channel of a vehicle. The external side window visor can be mounted using screws and bolts or adhesive to the exterior of a vehicle.
Side window visors have been made of acrylic, although side window visors may conceivably be manufactured from various other plastics and lightweight metals. Side window visors are designed to easily be attached to a vehicle door. Some side window visors mount directly to the frame of the vehicle door using double-sided acrylic foam tape, while other side window visors are installed in the window channel. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,718 to Steenblik et al.
Several vehicle manufacturers have recently introduced the safety features on windows. In order to prevent injury during the operation of auto-up windows, the vehicle manufacturers have incorporated a safety feature where the window retracts back down if the window experiences sufficient resistance during the operation of the auto-up feature. Presently available in-channel style visors have a tendency to increase resistance when closing a window during auto-up thereby triggering the safety feature.